Owain is a Senior Lecturer in Acting at the University of Northampton, Theatre Director and Creative Practitioner based in North London. He is a graduate of the MA Actor Training and Coaching course at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and former professional actor. He received his initial actor training from the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre.
Monday, 21 July 2025
Owain’s Biography
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Why Chilling Out?
I’m often (well, never, actually) asked where the name Chilling Out Theatre came from. Well the following message Ingot on Facebook messenger last week explains all:
‘Hi there Peter. I hope you don't mind me contacting you like this 'out of the blue' via Facebook, but I'm wondering if you might possibly be able to help me solve an almost 30 year mystery! Allow me to explain.... My name is Ade ***** and many, MANY years ago (c.1995), a school pal and I set up a film production company called ********** Pictures Ltd. We were 17 at the time and it was chiefly so that we could get ourselves invited to London Movie Premieres at Leicester Square and the like..., but as time went on and the idea of possibly having to do a 'proper job' began to scare us more and more, we started to embrace the idea of actually looking to produce something. To cut a long story short, our London PO Box would be inundated with scripts from various agencies, most of which I will confess were absolute drivel - the sort of thing the monkeys would churn out on their way to eventually typing out Shakespeare.... Anyway, there was ONE which has stuck in my head all this time and I have a vague, VAGUE feeling it was called 'Chilling Out' and it was by one Peter Briffa. Could this be you...? Having recently been made redundant after 25 years as a Drama teacher, I had some spare time on my hands, so decided to indulge in some Googling down Memory Lane.... When I came across your website, and saw the 'chillingout....' handle, it felt too much of a coincidence not to be so. I cannot remember too many of the details about the plot - it has been almost 30 years since I last saw it - but I do remember something about a guy discovering a severed head, frozen in an ice box/in a freezer. Or am I completely making this up? I would be hugely, HUGELY indebted to you if you were able to put me out of my misery/curiosity after all this time and help put to bed my nigh-on 30-year 'Was it....?' Thank you for taking the time to indulge me here and my very, very best to you, either way. With kind regards, ***’
I replied:
‘It was actually a full body! But yes, that was mine. I had expressions of interest from three different companies, selling it to one who led me a merry dance, involving no money and endless rewrites. It is one of the scripts I intend to take another look at. But I am pretty chuffed that you actually remember it. Do come to the play if you fancy it, best, Peter’
I hope he comes.
Jonathan’s Biography
Thursday, 10 July 2025
Meeting Mr. Hansler
I first met Johnny almost thirty years ago. He was in my play Night of the Fox. Since then he has been a constant player on the London Fringe scene. Not surprisingly, as he is a phenomenal talent. I don’t think I’ve ever known an actor who immersed himself in every role. Indeed, while it was writing the play I realised Johnny had to get first dibs at playing the guy, I didn’t write it for him exactly, but I knew he’d be ideal for it. He recently posted on Facebook a list of some of the famous/notorious people he has played.
“So in no particular order
Kenneth Baker
Stalin
Hitler
Gene Roddenberry
Oscar Wilde
Peter Cook
Paul Foot
Josef Mengele
Peter Mandelson
George Harrison
Brian Mathew
Jack Good
Bill Pertwee
Hugh Paddick
John Cleese
George Sanders
Montaigne
Groucho Marx
Shakespeare
And next and perhaps most interestingly
Peter Lawford”
He might be right.
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
It Started With a Tweet
On November 20th 2023 Beatles biographer Ray Connolly tweeted:
“Looking forward to seeing May Pang's version of John Lennon's Lost Weekend. Nice lady. She once showed me a bedroom in Peter Lawford's former home where she and John were living, and where Bobby Kennedy & Marilyn Monroe had once enjoyed each other”.
This got me thinking. I’d always like writing plays that use only one set. And a small cast. And famous people.
How about a five hander, with RFK and MM in the first act? Then, ten or more years later, it’s Lennon and Pang with Peter Lawford popping in and out. Maybe have the ghosts of the first two dropping in too, and maybe a fantasy scene where Lennon and MM not only survive but have an affair. Maybe end in 1985, with Lennon wondering whether to accept an invite to reform the Beatles and play Live Aid.
That sort of thing.
I even wrote a few lines. I researched RFK and the others, watched the May Pang documentary. The last person I looked at was Lawford, about whom I knew nothing. Quite honestly, I’m not sure I actually knew who he even was. So I ordered a second hand copy of his only biography, and waited for it to arrive.
Once I read it, I knew. This was the guy. What a story! And how come only one biography? Marilyn must have had dozens. Same with Lennon. And RFK. But Lawford? Married the President’s sister, last man to speak to Marilyn before she died. Multimarried. Alcoholic, survivor of child sexual abuse. And, in my opinion, a brilliant actor, who seldom got the roles he deserved. The more I researched him, the more I wanted to do a one person show.
I even knew the actor I wanted.